Listen to Mercedes-AMG’s Project ONE hypercar prototype at speed

Before customers can get the most out of the intriguing V-6 hybrid found in the Mercedes-AMG Project One, the development team is pushing its prototype hard in Germany, getting visitors from the inner circle like six-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton.

Being based on the fairly recent 2016 Mercedes-AMG W07 F1 car’s power unit, the Mercedes-AMG Project One uses possibly the most complex powertrain a manufacturer could jam in a road car. This is further evidenced by the fact that the Project One has already been delayed by nine months, due to the problems raised by AMG’s F1 V-6 idling at 5000 rpm as standard. The road version has to run stable at 1200 rpm, otherwise it won’t pass emissions.

However, AMG’s $2.7 million halo car has been back on track for a while, with deliveries set for the later half of 2020.

Key in this video is confirmation of the Project One’s electric mode, which turns the car into front-wheel drive. Hamilton says that at speed, it sounds “pretty much exactly the same as in a race car.” And with the Project One’s pace already looking promising, we’ll take his word for it.